If wishes were horses, I'd run a stable.
Y'all I really must apologise for my long absence, but November has been the month from Hel so far. For one thing, I foolishly decided to try NaNoWriMo again this year, despite my spectacular failure last year. There's a surprisingly active group of Nano writers in Charlottesville, and I've been to a few of their meetings and to some of the open hours at Writer House (that place is so awesome, I'm tempted to get a membership!) and I'm doing better than I was doing last year... but I'm still way below word count. I actually like what I've written so far, which surprised me as I usually hate my writing, and I may keep working on it even after November, but I don't know if I'll get in the 50,000 I need.
Of course, NaNo is suffering for the same reason I haven't been online much this month. The problem is that as of the 2nd of November, my apartment has been almost ready to move in to, and I've been trying to live in two different houses. My move-in day was supposed to have been November 1st, but it wasn't... the house wasn't quite finished being remodeled, but everything that left was fairely minor so we finally started moving my stuff in, even if I couldn't stay there with it. And as of November 5 I have been officially renting the apartment. I'm still not living there, of course, but I am now paying rent there. Which makes me feel ridiculous, but there's so much bullshit going on in my life right now, sleeping on a blanket on the floor in my parent's basement (the couch I was sleeping on was finally moved to my house) is the least of my worries.
My job has almost completely stopped calling me in to work. I've worked a total of 30 hours in the last two weeks, and it looks like I'm not going back in until Monday at the earliest. Although, even that's not certain as they haven't actually done Monday's schedule yet, so it may be even less than that. My last paycheck was less than $250, and barring some unforeseen miracle, this paycheck won't even be that much. I am so beyond frustrated right now, it isn't funny. I think in the last three months I've applied to literally every business in Charlottesville. I even put in an application at a sporting goods store the other day. A SPORTING GOODS STORE! I don't know anything about sports! I don't hunt, I don't fish, I don't play anything. The only sport I even watch is hockey, and that's new! But, they're hiring seasonal help so I put in an application. I also broke down and applied to Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, two business I swore I'd never work for. I won't even shop at Whole Foods, but I'm so desperate for a steady paycheck, I can't afford to have morals right now. Of course, it doesn't really matter as none of these businesses have called me in for an interview. I've had three interviews in three months. With all the applications and resumes I've been filling in, that comes to something like .04% success rate, or something.
The only thing I haven't applied for yet is a bus driver. I know they're hiring, I know my mother could probably get me a job there... but I really don't want to be a bus driver. I don't like children, I hate driving, and I hate waking up early. It's like a combination of all of my least favourite things. Plus, my mother's been driving a bus for over 30 years, my dad's mom drove a bus for almost 50 years before she retired, my mom's mom drove a bus for 10 years... I love my family, but I really don't want to follow in those particular footsteps. Of course, if Trading Post keeps scheduling me for less than two full shifts a week, I may have no choice. I hope it doesn't come to that.
I will admit that I'm getting a little concerned. When I first took this job, and they told me I would be working a minimum of 40 hours a week, I was willing to settle. I only make 7.50 an hour, so even at 40 hours a week, after taxes it was just barely enough to cover rent and bills, but it was doable. I was supposed to be able to work as much over-time as I wanted, though, so I didn't worry. Overtime adds up, after all. Then, they told me I had to learn how to run the deli if I wanted to work more hours. I hate working around food, but I agreed to do it because I need the money. Of course, they can't schedule me hours in the deli so I can learn because I don't know how to run the deli... which makes no sense to me, but so it goes. Also, they haven't really needed evening shift help, so the job I was hired to work from 1 pm to 9 pm has been scheduling me to work from 6 am to 1 pm. I did the math, and more than 2/3 of the days I've worked have been morning or day shift. I am waking up to go to work at the time I usually fall asleep! It's just not natural. And, they never actually scheduled me to work 40 hours. I haven't had a 40 hour week since I started. As of three weeks ago, my hours dropped back even further, from about 32 hours a week to less than 18. If it weren't for the fact that they just made me fill out all of the paperwork to officially put me on the payroll, I'd worry they were trying to get me to quit. I just don't know what to do. They won't give me a steady schedule, they won't even give me a steady shift so it's not like I can get another part time job to take up the slack. I had to call in three days last week at 6 o'clock in the morning, because no one had bothered to make a schedule for the day! I can't very well agree to work at one job, if the other job can't even tell me whether or not I'm supposed to work until the morning of the day in question! I suppose I could get another job, and then tell Trading Post they have to work around the schedule for my new job... but they're barely scheduling me when I'm available to work any hours, I can't imagine how few hours I'd work if I was no longer flexible.
If I weren't so desperate for even the tiniest paycheck right now, I'd just quit and stop worrying about this hassle. But, at least all these free days have made it easier for me to move into my house, despite the fact I don't live there. In fact, as of tomorrow I will be 100% unpacked. There are only six boxes left to unpack, and those are all books, which are waiting for a bookshelf to live on. Dad says he's going to stop by after work tomorrow night with some new shelves, and if he does then I'll be able to unpack those last boxes, and move into my house. Friday the 13th has always been a lucky day for me, so I'm hoping it's a good sign. And if it ever stops raining, I can move my kids in over there, and then I'll be officially moved out of my parent's basement. Only about 2.5 months longer than I was supposed to stay, too.
Of course, the downside to leaving the parent's house is that I will no longer be able to mooch off of their internet. I can't even afford to pay rent with the hours I'm working, I know I won't be able to pay for internet or cable. Mom and Dad have said they'll help cover essential costs, like rent and electricity and groceries until I can make it on my phone. But I'm also going to need to get a cellphone for myself before the end of the month, and a land-line in the house because there's no reception in a basement apartment. I spent almost two hours talking to my dad this afternoon to try and justify taking on a $35 phone bill so I can have a number to put on resumes, I know they aren't going to agree to $120 a month for satellite and cable. So, I'm going to be even more incommunicado than I previously was. It's disheartening, but I suppose that's what you get to look forward to when you grow up.
At least my family is amusing. My brother-in-law showed me this clip from SNL the other night. I found it highly amusing. I'll admit, I'm easily amused, but the way he said "not last time I checked" made me almost pee myself I laughed so hard. Watch and share in the glee:
You Have a Melancholic Temperament
Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.
You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.
You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you.
Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.
You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.
Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times.
At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.
You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.
You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.
What Temperament Are You?
Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!
Of course, NaNo is suffering for the same reason I haven't been online much this month. The problem is that as of the 2nd of November, my apartment has been almost ready to move in to, and I've been trying to live in two different houses. My move-in day was supposed to have been November 1st, but it wasn't... the house wasn't quite finished being remodeled, but everything that left was fairely minor so we finally started moving my stuff in, even if I couldn't stay there with it. And as of November 5 I have been officially renting the apartment. I'm still not living there, of course, but I am now paying rent there. Which makes me feel ridiculous, but there's so much bullshit going on in my life right now, sleeping on a blanket on the floor in my parent's basement (the couch I was sleeping on was finally moved to my house) is the least of my worries.
My job has almost completely stopped calling me in to work. I've worked a total of 30 hours in the last two weeks, and it looks like I'm not going back in until Monday at the earliest. Although, even that's not certain as they haven't actually done Monday's schedule yet, so it may be even less than that. My last paycheck was less than $250, and barring some unforeseen miracle, this paycheck won't even be that much. I am so beyond frustrated right now, it isn't funny. I think in the last three months I've applied to literally every business in Charlottesville. I even put in an application at a sporting goods store the other day. A SPORTING GOODS STORE! I don't know anything about sports! I don't hunt, I don't fish, I don't play anything. The only sport I even watch is hockey, and that's new! But, they're hiring seasonal help so I put in an application. I also broke down and applied to Whole Foods and Wal-Mart, two business I swore I'd never work for. I won't even shop at Whole Foods, but I'm so desperate for a steady paycheck, I can't afford to have morals right now. Of course, it doesn't really matter as none of these businesses have called me in for an interview. I've had three interviews in three months. With all the applications and resumes I've been filling in, that comes to something like .04% success rate, or something.
The only thing I haven't applied for yet is a bus driver. I know they're hiring, I know my mother could probably get me a job there... but I really don't want to be a bus driver. I don't like children, I hate driving, and I hate waking up early. It's like a combination of all of my least favourite things. Plus, my mother's been driving a bus for over 30 years, my dad's mom drove a bus for almost 50 years before she retired, my mom's mom drove a bus for 10 years... I love my family, but I really don't want to follow in those particular footsteps. Of course, if Trading Post keeps scheduling me for less than two full shifts a week, I may have no choice. I hope it doesn't come to that.
I will admit that I'm getting a little concerned. When I first took this job, and they told me I would be working a minimum of 40 hours a week, I was willing to settle. I only make 7.50 an hour, so even at 40 hours a week, after taxes it was just barely enough to cover rent and bills, but it was doable. I was supposed to be able to work as much over-time as I wanted, though, so I didn't worry. Overtime adds up, after all. Then, they told me I had to learn how to run the deli if I wanted to work more hours. I hate working around food, but I agreed to do it because I need the money. Of course, they can't schedule me hours in the deli so I can learn because I don't know how to run the deli... which makes no sense to me, but so it goes. Also, they haven't really needed evening shift help, so the job I was hired to work from 1 pm to 9 pm has been scheduling me to work from 6 am to 1 pm. I did the math, and more than 2/3 of the days I've worked have been morning or day shift. I am waking up to go to work at the time I usually fall asleep! It's just not natural. And, they never actually scheduled me to work 40 hours. I haven't had a 40 hour week since I started. As of three weeks ago, my hours dropped back even further, from about 32 hours a week to less than 18. If it weren't for the fact that they just made me fill out all of the paperwork to officially put me on the payroll, I'd worry they were trying to get me to quit. I just don't know what to do. They won't give me a steady schedule, they won't even give me a steady shift so it's not like I can get another part time job to take up the slack. I had to call in three days last week at 6 o'clock in the morning, because no one had bothered to make a schedule for the day! I can't very well agree to work at one job, if the other job can't even tell me whether or not I'm supposed to work until the morning of the day in question! I suppose I could get another job, and then tell Trading Post they have to work around the schedule for my new job... but they're barely scheduling me when I'm available to work any hours, I can't imagine how few hours I'd work if I was no longer flexible.
If I weren't so desperate for even the tiniest paycheck right now, I'd just quit and stop worrying about this hassle. But, at least all these free days have made it easier for me to move into my house, despite the fact I don't live there. In fact, as of tomorrow I will be 100% unpacked. There are only six boxes left to unpack, and those are all books, which are waiting for a bookshelf to live on. Dad says he's going to stop by after work tomorrow night with some new shelves, and if he does then I'll be able to unpack those last boxes, and move into my house. Friday the 13th has always been a lucky day for me, so I'm hoping it's a good sign. And if it ever stops raining, I can move my kids in over there, and then I'll be officially moved out of my parent's basement. Only about 2.5 months longer than I was supposed to stay, too.
Of course, the downside to leaving the parent's house is that I will no longer be able to mooch off of their internet. I can't even afford to pay rent with the hours I'm working, I know I won't be able to pay for internet or cable. Mom and Dad have said they'll help cover essential costs, like rent and electricity and groceries until I can make it on my phone. But I'm also going to need to get a cellphone for myself before the end of the month, and a land-line in the house because there's no reception in a basement apartment. I spent almost two hours talking to my dad this afternoon to try and justify taking on a $35 phone bill so I can have a number to put on resumes, I know they aren't going to agree to $120 a month for satellite and cable. So, I'm going to be even more incommunicado than I previously was. It's disheartening, but I suppose that's what you get to look forward to when you grow up.
At least my family is amusing. My brother-in-law showed me this clip from SNL the other night. I found it highly amusing. I'll admit, I'm easily amused, but the way he said "not last time I checked" made me almost pee myself I laughed so hard. Watch and share in the glee:
You Have a Melancholic Temperament
Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.
You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.
You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you.
Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.
You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.
Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times.
At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.
You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.
You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.
What Temperament Are You?
Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!